The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1887-01-27
WASHINGTON LETTER .
From Our Regular Correspondent
WASHINGTON. D. c.,
JAN, "a, 1887.

nave been disposed OF. PENSIONS
have pushed in both ends of the
Capitol, Appropriation Bills and
the Agricultural Experiment Sta
ton bill have been debated in the
Senate the subject of the Centen-
NAL celebration has come up mat
tiers of local interest have been dis
cussed new bills have been present
ed, and Pacific Railroad matters
have commanded a considerable
portion of the time of the House.
The purpose of the House of
Representatives. in voting for an
investigation of this Pacific rail
road business is not to prosecute
Mr.. Stanford, the president Of
these roads, who occupies a seat in
the United States Senate, passes
upon legislation for the country,
and protects his own interests &C
cordingly. The Government has a
large interest in this railroad prop
erty and it is a duty of Congress to
let the people know what went with
those two millions that were spent
some way. The fact that the Cal
ifornia Senator says it went in the
right way, hat he does not care to
explain how, and that really it is
not the business of the public to
know, is not satisfactory. The peo-
pie are not yet ready to accept
bribery as an established instltu-
ton. They have a right to ask by
what processt the profits of the road
are diverted into the pockets of pri-
vate individuals. The answer has
reference both to the Governments
business with the corporations,
and to the right of Mr.. Stanford,
one of the principal disbursers, to
a seat in the United States Senate.
Said a friend of Senator Stan
ford "An investigating committee
will never be able to get anything
out of Mr.. Stanford. He keeps
faith with those who serve him.
No Congressman or ex-Congress-
man need be afraid the Senator
will divulge any transactions he
has had with them"
1t was in this connection that
Senator Beck said, "Give me a man
who belongs to himself" He added
that he would rather see Roscoe
Conkling come to the Senate than
any other man from the State OF
New York, because he could be
counted on for an honest vote up
on all questions, whether relating
to railroads or anything else
"Morton and Miller both have cor.
poration interests" said Mr.. Beck
"Conkling has none, and though
recognize the fact that he can harm
the Democracy more than any 9th
er man in the Senate he belongs te
himself"
1t is comforting to know that
Hon. S. S. Cox, who has been 6
very sick man for the past two
weeks, is now in a fair way TOWARD
recovery. Atthe present time wher
Congress is daily losing character
when the qualifications of Senators
are to be found in their pockets in
stead Of their heads, and when cor
porations are growing holder ano
holder in their interference with
legislation, the services of a repre-.
sentative like Mr.. Cox, whose in
tegrity is invincible, and who is the
dread of the lobby, cannot be over
estimated.
People all over the country write
to Mr.. Cox about matters connect
ed with the administration of thu
Government. During his illness
his mail matter had accumulated
to such formidable proportions tina
his private secretary asked repre-
sentatives of the press to make thu
condition of the popular Congress
man known to the people as gener
ally as possible. Since then tele
grams of sympathy have beer
comingin place of business letters
The bill passed by the Senate
granting pensions of $4,000 a yea
to the widows of Generals Logan
and Blair, met with opposition il
the Pension Committee of tn
House. The majority of the Com
mittee are reluctant to continu
the policy of granting high pen
sions to the widows of officers VIII
did not die from injuries incurre'
in the service. The only prece
dence for such bills are in the cas-
es of widows and families of Ad
miral Farragut, and Generals Han
cock, Thomas and Grant. TIL
majority of the Committee thinl
it would be advisable to folloy
these precedents in view Of the fac
that there are now about one hun
dred surviving widows of officer
who would then be entitled to pen
sions who are now excluded b,
the general law.
When that sweeping pension bill
was rushed through the House pre-
viding for dependent parents, an
soldiers and sailors who receive'
no injuries during their term Q
service, but r simply too old o
too feeble to work, all reasonabl
people felt that the matter ha'
been overdone. fthe Senate pass
es this bill also, the next step vii
be to pension everybody who eve
had anything to do with any O
the wars. One fourth of the IA
tional revenue is already paid GU
in pensions. In round numbers
eight hundred millions have bee
taken out of the United State
Treasury for this purpose sine
the war. AL the powers of Europ
combined, with their immense al
mics and frequent wars, do no